


Memories

by eunbeanie



Series: Fics for POPNikki [1]
Category: Love Nikki Dress Up Queen
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, i think, implied Nikki/Bobo at the end if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 22:45:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15592440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eunbeanie/pseuds/eunbeanie
Summary: Looking out on the beautiful beach at Wintermount prompts Nikki to reminisce about past summers spent with her family. But as the weather turns and the memories pass, one by one, someone seems to be missing from each picture.





	Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Originally featured in the POPNikki Zine. Please check it out. The team has worked really hard to get this out.

Dusk is fast approaching in Wintermount. A soft breeze blows through the beach. The sky, painted in rose, blue and lilac, remains clear, save for a few clouds on the edge of the horizon. Gulls fly ahead, cawing and chirping without a care. Waves sweep in and out, crashing gently against the sand, masking the sound of Nikki’s footsteps.

It’s strange being on her own. Usually she has Momo and Bobo accompanying her. Without the two of them bickering or Momo criticising her outfit every five seconds, the beach feels quieter. Lonelier even.

She sits near the water, letting the sea wash over her feet.

Now that she thinks about it, Nikki can’t recall the last time she’s ever truly been alone. Before she had come to Miraland she had Yoyo, her sister. Her dad was there too, before he’d left for his photography trip. And of course, there was Momo. Because when had that darned cat not been there with her?

She still remembers the day Momo first spoke to her. He had been in their family for three years and had acted just like a regular house cat up until  _ the grand reveal _ .

-x-

It happened eight summers ago at her aunt’s wedding.

The church was small but beautifully decorated. Pale fairy lights were woven through flowers to make them glow. Petals fluttered gracefully throughout the ceremony. The seats filled rapidly thanks to the many relatives attending, and soft, orchestral music was playing as they settled.

Nikki stood near the back, the petals in her hand shaking. It was her first time being a flower girl, after all, so she really didn’t want to mess it up. Yoyo was by her side, trying to calm her down.

“Nikki, breathe.” She moved her hand, as if conducting an orchestra. “In and out… in and out…”

Nikki tried to concentrate on her big sister’s voice, taking deep breaths until she heard the music change. Her ears prickled at the soundz, and she nearly forgot to breathe. But Yoyo smiled and she took a final, shaky breath.

She began to walk, leaving coral petals in her wake. The bride was only a few feet behind her, following her trail. She could vaguely hear the clicking of Dad’s camera. Nikki finally felt she could actually do this. She reminded herself to smile, but based on the expressions on the faces of her family, she knew she could make it.  _ I can do this _ , she thought proudly. 

Then halfway down the aisle, disaster struck.

“What on earth are you wearing Nikki?!”

The audience gasped at the shrill voice. Nikki froze dead in her tracks, eyes comically wide, smile dropping instantly. She turned around to see a truly bizarre image in front of her.

There, at the end of the aisle, was Momo, standing on his hind legs and wearing a cape for some reason. He was pointing at her feet, a smug, mocking look gracing his features.

She slowly looked down at her own outfit. Her face grew hotter by the second. She was wearing a pale pink dress with a magenta ribbon around the waist with matching gloves and socks.

And crocs. 

Bright, neon pink crocs. 

“Trying to match your face I see,” Momo continued, as if he didn’t just ruin her aunt’s big day. “Here’s your first styling tip: never,  _ ever _ , wear crocs at a wedding!”

Suddenly there was a  _ thud _ . Everyone looked behind the cat to see Yoyo on the ground, hand on her forehead. Her flower crown had fallen off.

Silence. Tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Then...

_ Click! _

-x-

Nikki laughs at the memory. In Momo’s defence, wearing crocs at a wedding  _ was _ a bad idea. Unfortunately, Dad had that specific picture framed not long after, forever immortalized above their fireplace.

She honestly doesn’t know where she’d be without Momo. Under his (usually) helpful guidance, her styling skills have flourished. He’s been with her basically all her life and stuck with her throughout all of her crazy adventures. A true ride or die, for better or for worse.

Reminiscing on the past makes the beach feel less lonely, Nikki finds. It’s nice to think about times gone by as she watches the sun set. The sky takes on more of a reddish hue now. Makes the sun itself look more like an egg yolk. It’s nice to know that no matter what country (or dimension) you’re in, the sun stays the same.

The image takes her back to a simpler time. A time where she didn’t really think about what she wore. A time where her biggest concerns were creating the best sandcastle and getting ice-cream. A time where she could be with all of her family.

-x-

Mom had finally come home after a long business trip, so with Dad, they all decided to go to the local beach. Nikki and Yoyo were excited as it was their first time going to one. Yoyo spent at least an hour trying to decide which swimsuit to wear and ended up wearing a purple one piece with matching flip-flops. Nikki wore an indigo one piece with a bow at the side, an orange sun hat and lime green crocs (because at six, she hadn’t developed a fashion sense or found Momo just yet).

The beach was an hour’s drive so they stopped for ice-cream on the way. This was where Yoyo had the bright idea of eating grilled fish ice cream with squid sauce. That went great, if one considers contracting food poisoning the next day to be fun.

Once they got to the beach, though, the two girls didn’t hesitate to start searching for materials they could use to build and decorate their sandcastles. Yoyo’s castle fell apart almost immediately because she didn’t wet the sand enough. When she saw Nikki’s perfectly intact masterpiece, she got annoyed and destroyed it when her sister wasn’t looking. Both of them burst into tears and Nikki ran to her parents.

“Daddy! Yoyo ruined my castle!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

The squabble escalated to a full on sand fight with Nikki chasing Yoyo all across the beach and into the ocean. It wasn’t until Dad suggested they bury him in the sand that they calmed down.

“Mommy, look! Look!” Nikki cried, a bright, gummy smile on her face. “Dad’s stuck in the sand!”

“Nikki!” Yoyo covered her mouth in an attempt to shush her, but ended up getting sand in her mouth.

“Hey!”

While this was going on, Mom was relaxing on a beach chair. Long, pink hair sprawled around her. She was holding a silver reflector, presumably to get a tan. She lowered her oversized sunglasses to watch her kids play and smiled.

After swimming in the ocean and getting thoroughly soaked, they took a picture in front of the setting sun. All smiling, all happy, all peaceful.

Soon after, Mom announced that she had to leave.

“Gone to visit a friend far away,” Dad had said. “Should be back any day now.”

That day never came.

-x-

It’s raining. The sky is darker and cloudier. The air is colder. The tide is coming farther and farther in. Nikki knows that she should be heading home soon; that whatever thinking she needs to do can be done on the way back to Bobo’s house. But she can’t bring herself to.

The sand is damp and squishy beneath her feet. Her hair darkens. Starts sticking to her face. She can barely feel the hot rain rolling down her cheeks. She should’ve listened to Orange’s advice and brought rain-proof clothing, or at the very least an umbrella.

Does it have to rain so much in Wintermount? This city almost makes Ireland look like a desert in heat. And that place was practically underwater it was so wet. It was a beautiful country, though. She, Yoyo and Momo went to visit the Cliffs of Moher last summer while looking for their father, and the view was spectacular. Tall, green cliffs surrounding a vast, blue ocean  stretched as far as the eye could see. The sun melted into the horizon, leaving golden hues in its wake. It was truly worth the effort to get there in Nikki's opinion, but the minute they reached the cliffs, Momo fell flat on his face, crying out for grilled fish until it was time to leave.

“It’s beautiful,” Yoyo had said, an expression of wonder on her face. Then her face softened. Her eyes gained a faraway look.

“I wish Dad could see this.”

Nikki remained silent. Hesitantly, she took her sister’s trembling hand. She felt it tighten around her own, much like her heart as she thought of sharing this sight with her family.

-x-

“Nikki! There you are!”

Momo’s voice breaks her trance. Nikki’s suddenly aware of the harsh wind blowing against her face. She hears a roar of thunder in the distance.

Her vision is blurry. Her throat is unusually tight. She blinks quickly. She places her hand against her chest and clenches the material of her dress, taking a few breaths to steady herself. She puts on her usual smile and turns around to see Momo running towards her. Bobo is close behind with an umbrella in one hand and a towel in another.

“My goodness, Nikki,” Momo exclaims. “We were worried sick! What were you doing out here?”

_ Good ol’ Momo _ , she thought.  _ Straight to the point as always _ .

“Just thinking,” she replies. Her smile turns sheepish. “Sorry for staying out so long.”

Momo sighs and crosses his arms. “Well. Make sure to tell us before you pull another stunt like that, young lady.” 

Nikki chuckles at the comment. “Roger that.”

Momo huffs before letting out a big yawn and climbing onto Bobo’s shoulder. He curls up and not even a few seconds later, he begins to snore. Bobo rolls her eyes at the cat before turning to Nikki.

“Ah, thank you,” Nikki says, giving her a grateful smile as she tries to take the towel from her. Bobo grasps her hand and pushes it down.

“Here. Let me.” Bobo stands on her toes and rubs the towel against Nikki’s hair to dry it.

They stand in silence for the next few minutes. It feels nice, having Bobo dry her hair. She has such a gentle, caring way of doing it. She likes it.

Suddenly she feels a hand caress her face through the towel. She looks at Bobo, confused. Her face feels warm all of a sudden.

“Your face was wet,” she explains. Her blue eyes are filled with concern.

_ Ah _ . “Just... the rain,” she says, a sheepish grin on her face. “Yeah.”

Bobo looks like she doesn’t believe her but doesn’t press on the issue. She strokes Nikki’s cheek one last time before turning.

“Let's go home,” she states. “Momo looks like he needs a bed.” She begins to walk away. Then she pauses and looks back. She smiles at Nikki and reaches out a hand. “You do, too.”

Nikki nods and takes her hand. Together, the three of them begin to head back to Wheat Field.

Her dad always told her that home was where memories are made. She wonders if, one day, she can call Miraland home too.

-fin-


End file.
